


Crazy Swale

by Elizabeth Perry (watersword)



Category: Young Wizards - Diane Duane
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-06
Updated: 2013-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-23 22:46:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/627350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watersword/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Perry
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm leaving Blackstock as a legend," he explained. "I want to make sure my legacy endures."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crazy Swale

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Five Things Tom and Carl Did in College (In the First Semester Alone)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/600843) by [Gray Shadows (the_afterlight)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_afterlight/pseuds/Gray%20Shadows). 



> [](http://watersword.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**watersword**](http://watersword.dreamwidth.org/): One of the things which has always fascinated me in the books is how *little* Duane has done with Old Crazy Swale; his reputation is bigger than would seem to be justified. I cannot figure out why it's Crazy Swale instead of Crazy Romeo — which would even be funnier! — much less why there seems to be no awareness in the [local Long Island] community of Carl's EXISTENCE.
> 
> [](http://the-afterlight.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**the_afterlight**](http://the-afterlight.dreamwidth.org/): Honestly, I'm pretty sure Tom's reputation exists because Tom _invented_ it.

Carl walked in and stopped at the curling edge of the carpet. There were still traces of chalk in the nap, and he narrowed his eyes at Tom's attempt at cleaning up after himself. That looked like whatever he'd built had a virus shell, apparently whatever his magpie of a boyfriend had been doing was something he wanted to keep happening even after he stopped paying attention, and the last symbol of Tom's name in the Speech which had escaped the broom, and —

"Thomas David Swale, is this a REPUTATION MATRIX?"

Tom looked completely unashamed of himself. It would have been thirty percent hot and thirty percent adorable if it hadn't been one hundred percent irritating. "I'm leaving Blackstock as a legend," he explained. "I want to make sure my legacy endures."

Carl rolled his eyes. He was pretty sure those were the strongest muscles in his body after four years of living with Tom. "What," he asked, knowing full well it was futile, "is _wrong_ with you?"

"C'mon," Tom said, standing up from his desk chair, which squeaked in protest. "It has a certain elegance. Look at my left hand, Carl."

"Your left—"

Tom winked, and slid the first two fingers of his left hand into his mouth. "Look at my _left hand_ ," he mumbled. Carl understood every word, couldn't have taken his eyes _off_ his hand.

He didn't even notice when Tom came closer to him, not until his fingers were laid against Carl's mouth. "Tom —" he said, a thin edge of something in his voice.

"Look at my left hand," Tom said again, his voice quieter, rougher. He slid his wet fingers over Carl's lower lip.

And then Tom stepped back, wiped his hand on his jeans, and waved Carl's manual at him. Which had been in Carl's inner jacket pocket, he was sure of it, he'd put the damn thing in there before going in to argue with Ferris about his final term's classes.

"Look at your — oh, you _rat bastard_ ," Carl breathed.

"You've met my mother," Tom chided. "See? Elegant. Show people something true, something _real_ , but wrap it around something else, around everything else. Around my name. They can _say_ my name, but they can't _get_ at it."

"Your mind terrifies me," Carl told him honestly. He waited a moment, and then smiled. "Fortunately for you, it also turns me on."

Tom grinned, manic and happy and relieved all at once.


End file.
